Eighth St. Road homicide-suicide probe continues

Published: April 6, 2003 8:00PM

Guernsey County sheriffs deputies continued to investigate an apparent homicide-suicide at an Eighth Street Road residence late Saturday that started with an argument and ended with a father shooting his son and then himself.

The son, identified as Mark E. Thompson Jr., 23, Cambridge, was pronounced dead at the scene by the Guernsey County coroners office. He was reportedly shot while in the kitchen of the home.

The father, Mark E. Thompson Sr., was transported to Southeastern Med with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He died a short time later.

Deputies said they obtained a statement from a witness at the home, identified only as the girlfriend of Mark Thompson Jr. She was reportedly inside the home when the shootings occurred.

Cambridge police officers were the first law enforcement officers to arrive at the scene. In a report, officers said they found the father lying on the front steps with a shotgun on his chest.

Police said the girlfriend told them the shooting (of the son) followed an argument over living conditions at the home.

The first shooting was reported to authorities at 10:24 p.m. via an emergency 911 call. A short time later, a second call was received from the residence reporting the father had gone outside and possibly shot himself.

The home was searched by police officers securing the scene until sheriffs deputies arrived.